FR2859586A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INVOICING A SUBSCRIBER TO A PROVIDER OF ACCESS TO A COMMUNICATION NETWORK FOR USE OF SERVICES - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for invoicing a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network (2), for the use of services offered by service providers partners of the access provider. Charging information is generated from data comprising input identifiers each determining a start of consultation of a determined service, consulted by the subscriber through the communication network.

Description

2859586 1

  Method and system for billing a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network for the use of services.

  The present invention relates to a method and system for billing a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network, for example the Internet network or a corporate private network, for the use of services offered by suppliers. partner service provider.

  The providers of access to a communication network wish to propose, in order to enrich their offer for their subscribers, value-added services. In fact, access providers want to set up systems of partner service packages or kiosks, according to the Minitel model.

  These services will of course be paid.

  However, it is necessary for access providers, to set up such systems, to charge subscribers the consultations of these paid services. For this purpose, the access providers must be able to generate charging information, or charging tickets, according to the consultations of the subscribers.

  There are, in the state of the art, solutions for generating charging information for charging access provider subscribers access to a communication network.

  In the fixed and mobile telephone network, charging information called CDR ("Gall Detail Registration") is used, which makes it possible to count the communication time of the subscribers by sending, for example, a charging ticket at the beginning of each call. a new minute of communication. This system, however, does not differentiate the services to which the subscriber accesses.

  Although the minitel emulators for computers, create charging tickets that differentiate services, these solutions are not compatible with mobile phones because they require an analog telephone line or a high-speed digital line 2859586 2. In addition, they require the installation of an application on the client machine, and are restricted to the services accessible by minitel.

  The log files ("log" in English) of the servers or proxy platforms of the access providers to the communication network may be exploited for the purpose of generating charge tickets, since the proxy servers are able to put in the log files the URLs ("Universal Resource Locator") accessed by subscribers and associate them with a subscriber identifier. However, this assumes that the subscriber is authenticated at the beginning of each session with the proxy platform. The process of generating charge tickets is then generally no longer transparent to the subscriber. In addition, the processing of log files to develop the charging information must be done on external means to the Mandatory platforms, which can be laborious given the large amount of data to be processed.

  Some platforms allow access providers to generate charging information to partner services. This charging information is issued relative to the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the platform hosting the service, or to the URL of the service home page. The charging information for an IP address is an identification problem because a service provider can host multiple services at the same IP address. The charging information for a URL has the opposite problem because a service can use multiple URLs. The concept of service is then limited.

  Thus, in view of the above, the object of the invention is to provide a method and a system capable of generating charging information for access providers to a communication network, depending on the partner services consulted by the subscribers.

  Also, according to the invention, there is provided a method of charging a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network for the use of services offered by partner service providers of the access provider. Charging information is generated from data comprising input identifiers each determining a beginning of consultation of a specific service, consulted by the subscriber through the communication network.

  A network access provider may then implement a charging of services provided by partner service providers.

  In a preferred embodiment, each start-of-consultation identifier of a service consulted by the subscriber is retrieved in a field of the header of the transfer flows of the web pages of the services.

  The access provider can thus recover the input identifier in consultation with a service in order to be able to process it.

  In an advantageous embodiment, the protocol is used the protocol Hyper Text Transfer Protocol or HTTP protocol for transferring web pages services.

  In a preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the header and the body of the transfer streams of the service home web pages are intercepted and copied.

  For example, the Internet Content Adaptation Protocol or ICAP is used to intercept and copy at least a portion of the header and body of the service web flow of services.

  According to another characteristic according to the invention, in the databases of the access provider, the input identifier of a service, taken as the request key, retrieves information necessary for the generation of data. the charging information including the rate level 2859586 4 input into the service. It also retrieves, by means of data relating to the connection address of the subscriber's terminal to the access provider, taken as the request key, information necessary for the generation of the charging information including an identifier. of the subscriber.

  In an advantageous embodiment, it is also possible to generate charging information for the subscriber, corresponding to his entries in payment-per-entry services.

  The access provider thus develops charging information for billing the subscriber.

  In a preferred embodiment, the charging information is generated from data further comprising output identifiers each determining an end of consultation of a specific service, consulted by the subscriber through the communication network. , based on consultation times of a given service calculated by means of instants associated respectively with the input and the output of the service, and from a temporal pricing of the service retrieved from said provider's databases. access.

  The access provider can then also bill services whose consultation price is proportional to the time spent consulting it.

  In an advantageous embodiment, at least a portion of the header and the body of the transfer stream of the service output web pages are intercepted and copied.

  According to the invention, it is also proposed a billing system for a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network for the use of services offered by service provider partner suppliers of the access provider. The system includes, networked, a proxy platform for securing access to an access provider's local network, a billing platform comprising means for generating and means for managing charging information, and 2859586 5 databases containing subscriber information and services of partner service providers.

  In a preferred embodiment, the proxy platform includes means for implementing an HTTP stream transfer protocol, and the billing platform includes means for using said HTTP stream transfer protocol and adapted to parse the data. present in the forwarding flow headers of the service home web pages.

  Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description, given solely by way of nonlimiting example, and with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a network architecture of FIG. access to services provided by service providers incorporating a billing system according to one aspect of the invention; and FIG. 2 illustrates another example of implementation of a network provided with a system according to another aspect of the invention; FIG. 1 represents an access network to services incorporating a billing system according to the invention. This device is intended to charge a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network, such as the Internet, for the use of services offered by service provider partner suppliers.

  The billing system comprises a platform or proxy server 1 installed in the network, which manages the connections of subscribers to the communication network 2. To establish these connections, access these services, and use these services, a subscriber uses a terminal 3 which comprises means 4 for establishing a communication with the proxy server 1, means 5 for exchanging data, and display means 6.

  Through the communication network 2, the proxy platform 1 is connected to platforms hosting services provided by service provider partner providers 2859586 6. We have here represented two platforms 7, 8 hosting various services. These two platforms 7, 8 respectively comprise means 7a, 8a for inserting a field containing an input identifier representative of a service consulted by a subscriber in the headers of the homepage of the service accessed and the transmit by means of a web page transfer protocol, for example the HTTP protocol ("Hyper Text Transfer Protocol").

  The system also comprises a billing platform 9, which notably comprises generation means 10 for generating charging information, management means 11 for managing this charging information, and processing means 12 for using a payment protocol. HTTP flow transfer, for example ICAP ("Internet Content Adaptation Protocol" in English). These processing means 12 are able to analyze the data present in the headers of the transfer flows of the service home web pages and in the headers of the HTTP flow transfer flows. For example, HTTP stream transfer streams are created using the ICAP protocol.

  In addition, the system includes databases, 13, 14 which respectively include subscriber data of the access provider, and service data provided by the service provider partner service providers. In this FIG. 1, only two databases have been represented.

  The proxy platform 1 also comprises management means 15 for managing subscriber connections, transfer means 16 for transferring data that circulates between the various elements of the network, and means 17 for implementing the content personalization protocol. ICAP on the parts of the headers and bodies of the transfer flows of the home web pages of the services transmitted to the billing platform 9.

  An example of elaboration of charging information by the system will now be described.

  This charging procedure begins when the subscriber connects his terminal 3 to the proxy platform 1 of his access provider to the communication network 2 by using the means 4 of the terminal 3 provided for this purpose, then asks to consult a service proposed by the access provider and provided by an ISP partner service provider. The management means 15 manage the connection of the terminal 3 of the subscriber, and the transfer means 16 make a request to the service that the subscriber wishes to consult through the communication network 2. In response, the platform hosting the subscriber requested service, for example platform 7, returns a web home page of the service. As indicated above, this home page is transmitted by means of the HTTP protocol carrying in the header a field implemented by the implementation means 7a, which contains an input identifier representative of a service consulted by a subscriber. This input web page arrives at the proxy platform 1, which implements the HTTP stream transfer protocol, for example the ICAP protocol on part of the header and body of the webpage's forwarding flow. of the service, and transmits this part to the billing platform 9. In this implementation, the proxy platform 1 includes, in the header of the ICAP protocol, a field containing the IP address of subscriber connection.

  At the level of the billing platform 9, the means 12 analyze the received data and extract the characteristic identifier of the service, as well as the connection IP address of the subscriber. The web page is also transmitted to the user, in order to limit the latency introduced, because the user does not need to wait for the generation of the charging ticket to receive his page. The charging information generating means 10 then retrieves data included in the access provider databases 13, 14, including the rate of entry into the service. The management means 11 then manage the tax ticket for billing purposes of the subscriber. The processing means 12 then transmit to the proxy platform 1 the web page of entry into the service.

  It is possible to wait for a generation of authorization to consult the web page before transmitting it to the terminal 3 of the user.

  It is also possible for the proxy platform 1 to transmit only the headers containing the information necessary for the billing platform 9, and to store the rest of the data, while waiting to be able to transmit them to the terminal 3. the maid.

  FIG. 2 illustrates the operation of a system according to another aspect of the invention, for services invoiced at the consultation time. In this figure, identical elements to those of Figure 1 are designated by the same references. As can be seen in this figure, the network architecture represented also comprises a proxy platform 1 which communicates via the communication network 2 with the service platforms 7, 8 also accessible by a terminal 3, and a flat platform In addition to the means 7a, 8a for implementing a field containing the identity of the service consulted. Service provider platforms 7, 8 include means 7b, 8b for implementing a field containing an output identifier representative of the end of a service call a subscriber, in the headers of the web pages where the subscriber leaves the service, and transmit them by means of a protocol for transferring web pages to the proxy server 1.

  The processing means 12 are then further able to extract the service output identifiers and are therefore able to have start and end consultation information. The generation means 10 are then able to develop a charging ticket as a function of the time separating the two times corresponding to the input and output of the service, and as a function of a temporal pricing present in the databases 13, 14.

  The invention that has just been described, which makes it possible to develop charging information or charge tickets from data extracted from the data streams conveyed during the supply of services, makes it possible to generate charging information for the consultation. by a subscriber, of a specific service, without requiring authentication of the subscriber.

Claims (11)

  A method of billing a subscriber to a provider of access to a communication network for the use of services offered by service provider partner service providers, characterized in that information is generated from charging from data comprising input identifiers each determining a beginning of consultation of a specific service, consulted by the subscriber through the communication network (2).   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that one retrieves each start of consultation of a service identifier consulted by the subscriber in a field of the header of the transfer flows of the web pages of the services.   3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that one uses the protocol Hyper Text Transfer Protocol or HTTP as transfer protocol of the web pages of the services.   4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least a portion of the header and the body of the transfer streams of the web pages hosting the services are copied.   5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the Internet Content Adaptation Protocol or ICAP protocol is used to intercept and copy at least a part of the header and the body of the transfer flows of the web pages. reception of services.   6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that, in databases (13, 14) of the access provider, is retrieved, using the input identifier of a service, taken as a key. query, information necessary for the generation of the charging information including the rate of entry into the service, and is retrieved, by means of data relating to the connection address of the terminal (3) of the subscriber to the access provider, taken 2859586 11 as the request key, information necessary for the generation of the charging information including a subscriber identifier.   7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that, furthermore, a charging information is generated for the subscriber, corresponding to his entries in payment-per-entry services.   8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the charging information is generated from data further comprising output identifiers each determining an end of consultation of a specific service consulted by the subscriber through of the communication network (2), based on consultation times of a given service calculated by means of instants associated respectively with the entry and exit of the service, and from a temporal pricing of the service, retrieved in said databases (13, 14) of the access provider.   9. The method of claim 8, characterized in that one intercepts and copies at least a portion of the header and the body of the transfer stream of the web pages output services.   10. A billing system of a subscriber to a communication network access provider for the use of services offered by service provider partner service providers, characterized in that it comprises, networked , a proxy platform (1) for securing access to a local network of the access provider, a billing platform (9) comprising means (10) for generating and means (11) for managing charging information, and databases (13, 14) containing subscriber information and the services of the partner service providers.   11. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the proxy platform comprises means (17) for implementing an HTTP stream transfer protocol, and in that the billing platform (9) comprises means ( 12) to use said HTTP stream transfer protocol and adapted to analyze the data present in the transfer stream headers of the service home web pages.